Redskins Insider: Should a Redskins player ever wear No. 21 again?

[DieselPwr44]

I think Mike Nelms' jersey should be worn again.

 

[Yusuf06]

I liked Taylor a lot - I got to see him quite a bit during his first 3 seasons and interview him several times. He was a hell of a player, and I think a genuinely good guy, not the 'thug' some portrayed him to be. More misunderstood and raw than ever a bad guy. He had a tragic life, but I think the fan worship has always been a little out of hand. He would have a hard time cracking a top 25 redskins of all time list, based on anything other than sentimentality. I can't see retiring his number based on that.

^^This. I loved the guy and the way he played and I do believe that if he'd lived he would have been one of the best ever to play the position. That said, it never happened. I just think you shouldn't officially retire a # on what could have been. OTOH, I don't think it should be brought out of retirement for just any scrub either. I could definitely get on board with giving it to a top tier RB.

As others have said though, I can understand and respect those who think it should be retired. After all, Taylor was a big part of the few good memories we had for most of a decade. That's nothing to sneeze at for any player, especially safety.

 

[Henry]

I don't think 21 should be retired unless you retire 9, 28, 42, 44, 49 and 81. Either we retire numbers or we don't.

And no. None of them are officially retired. The only number we've officially retired is 33. That's mighty exclusive company to put Taylor with.

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[Henry]

I think Mike Nelms' jersey should be worn again.

Terry Allen's too.

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[Dead Money]

I liked Taylor a lot - I got to see him quite a bit during his first 3 seasons and interview him several times. He was a hell of a player, and I think a genuinely good guy, not the 'thug' some portrayed him to be. More misunderstood and raw than ever a bad guy. He had a tragic life, but I think the fan worship has always been a little out of hand. He would have a hard time cracking a top 25 redskins of all time list, based on anything other than sentimentality. I can't see retiring his number based on that.

Fully agree with everything you said here. That being said...it would hurt a whole bunch to have some scrub running around out there with the #21 on his back.

 

[Special K]

Sean was definitely one of my favorite Redskins players and his murder struck me hard as it did pretty much every other fan. In fact, it's still difficult to think about what could have been (particularly watching our freaking secondary lately, good Lord). So, I definitely understand the strong emotions behind fans who don't want that number used ever again.

That being said, I don't have a strong feeling one way or the other about his number being unofficially retired. If the organization wants to do that, I'm fine with that. However, if the organization wants to wait a while and allow another really special safety to wear the number in the future, I'm ok with that too. He better be damn good and beloved by our fans though

 

[pjfootballer]

Should 21 be worn again? Absolutely!

Was Sean Taylor a good player? Hell yes. A truely great player? We'll never know. Good person? Debatable. Guess I'm definately in the minority here but I'll never understand the desire to cannonize him.

I'm the same way. Loved him when he was playing, but it's just a number. Personally, I think all the "unofficial retired" numbers (7, 9, 28, 81, 44, 43 etc) should be put back into commission. Would you mistaken a current QB wearing #9 for an nearly 80 year old, pot bellied, cigar smoking former player from 40 years ago? 33 would be the only non issued since it's officially retired.

With that said, I'd be willing to wait 10 years on each number. When said number has been out of commission for 10 years, it's reissued. So I can wait a few more years for 21.

 

[Califan007]

I think #21 should still be worn, but maybe after a 10 year hiatus or something. Another player wearing it the following year would have been crass, and never having another player wear it would be overdoing it. Have a certain amount of time go by, then put it back in circulation.

 

[Califan007]

I'm the same way. Loved him when he was playing, but it's just a number. Personally, I think all the "unofficial retired" numbers (7, 9, 28, 81, 44, 43 etc) should be put back into commission. Would you mistaken a current QB wearing #9 for an nearly 80 year old, pot bellied, cigar smoking former player from 40 years ago?

I don't really think mistaken identity on the field is the issue here lol...

 

[China]

I'll just leave this here:

[media]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ko1iFkz11xg[/media]

Link

 

[Dead Money]

I'll just leave this here:

[media]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ko1iFkz11xg[/media]

Link

Im sure there was some stuff at the end but I chose to stop watching while I was still smiling from ear to ear. The man was a great football player and he is missed everytime I watch our team play.

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[#98QBKiller]

no..not even close. this wasnt a player just moving on who meant something. this was a guy who had his life taken while in the B&G. someone we all were close to in the way that we can be as fans.

any player who comes here and wants 21 needs to be reminded how important that number is.

This is how I feel too.

I think they should just retire the number/make it unavailable. I don't think any player could do that number enough justice to eclipse what it means to us as fans.

 

[DieselPwr44]

I'm a Taylor fan myself but this retire 21 permanent talk is getting out of hand.

Should #36 be retired too because he wore it too?

Heck, I think 68 and 66 shouldn't be worn cause those guys were actually integral parts to Super Bowl wins.

Taylor was a promising player who could've been great but I don't think he was here long enough to make it to "retire the number" territory.

 

[Kel Varnsen]

My opinion is that no one on the roster now should wear it, and I don't know if anyone in the near future should wear it. Someday, someone will wear it and I won't have a problem with it as long as it's not some knucklehead. But retiring it and saying no one should wear it ever may be a little much. What if this guy plays for the Redskins one day?

 

[Rymanofthenorth]

You wont find many bigger Sean Taylor fans than me, but he didnt wear it long enough to retire it and he wore 36 and repped it just as well. I am ok with putting it away for 10 years then reissuing it, there are only a few numbers that should be retired imho. 28, 44, and 9

 

[Huly]

NO NO NO NO NO

21 should be retired!

 

[Huly]

Fully agree with everything you said here. That being said...it would hurt a whole bunch to have some scrub running around out there with the #21 on his back.

Agree 100% I could not take that at all! I wear 21 instead of my induction year of 12 on my PFUFA jersey to honor ST. Running his vigil and memorial was the hardest thing I have ever done and not something I can forget.

 

[Neophyte]

I understand why you feel that way, Huly, but I can't see retiring the number for good. He was becoming a great Redskin and hardly a game goes by that I don't watch a couple of plays and think to myself "if Sean were alive that wouldn't have happened." However, the simple truth is he didn't play for us long enough to officially retire the number.

Hell, we have yet to officially retire the numbers of Sam, Sonny, Bobby, Charlie, Riggo, Art or Darrel.

Now, having said that, I wouldn't let anyone wear it for some time to come and by that I mean at least a decade and maybe two. I certainly want enough time to pass that Taylor would be into his retirement had he lived before we break it out again. I also like Axe's idea of not giving it to a defensive player when it is finally used again.

 

[tshile]

Most players pick their number when they come into the league. I'm not sure how you can say it's ok to give the number to a player that's not a scrub - how would that work? By the time he's a good player he's not going go want to change his number. Give it to a high round draft pick is an option, but there are plenty of those that turn out to be a bust...

 

[Lanky Livingston]

Most players pick their number when they come into the league. I'm not sure how you can say it's ok to give the number to a player that's not a scrub - how would that work? By the time he's a good player he's not going go want to change his number. Give it to a high round draft pick is an option, but there are plenty of those that turn out to be a bust...

Well, I see them addressing this in one of two ways:

1) Use it as a reward for great safety play - if its heralded as reward like they do at UM, then its something to strive for. A player will accept the number as an honor for excellent safety play.

2) Player wears #21 in college, is given #22 or something out of school and has to earn #21.

Just my thoughts on the matter. Also, I believe a lot of the more "scrubby" players get assigned numbers rather than picking them. I'm sure some teams handle this differently, but I believe the UDFAs and later-round draft picks just get assigned a number by equipment managers. I could be wrong though.